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Drew, SallyReport of the Interlibrary Loan Task Force. BulletinNo. 96298.Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction,Madison.Jan 9640p.Bureau for Interlibrary Loan and Resource Sharing,Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 2109South Stoughton Road, Madison, WI 53716-2899.Reports Descriptive (141)

MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.Access to Information; Costs; *Interlibrary Loans;*Library Cooperation; Library Education; LibraryExpenditures; Library Funding; Library Instruction;*Library Networks; *Library Services; OnlineSearching; Program Effectiveness; ReferenceMaterials; Reference Services; Search Strategies;*Shared Library Resources; User Needs(Information)Multitype Library Cooperation; Task Force Approach;*Wisconsin; Wisconsin Department of PublicInstruction

Wisconsin's Interlibrary Library Loan Task Force wascreated in 1994 to identify and discuss effective patterns andmethods of sharing resources among libraries of all types inWisconsin and to determine the direction that differentorganizational levels should take in resource sharing, and toevaluate existing state-wide resource-sharing protocols. Thesemeasure aim to help ensure that library users throughout the statereceive equitable, cost-effective interlibrary loan service. Thisreport discusses basic interlibrary loan services and InterlibraryLoan Task Force issues and recommendations. The following Task Forceissues are summarized and then discussed in terms of background,problems, sub-issues, and recommendations: (1) How can Wisconsinlibrary staff most effectively develop and use electronic resourcesto find information in response to requests from library users? (2)

How can interlibrary loan and reference referral tools and servicesbe improved? (3) How can users be better educated about interlibraryloan and reference referral services? (4) What should be done toassure library staff are adequately trained to carry out interlibraryloan and reference referral services? and (5) How should interlibraryloan and referral services be funded in order to assure equity ofaccess throughout the state? (SWC)

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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

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Report of the Interlibrary

Loan Task Force

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Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction G.M. Doyle

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TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).7, ,

;-7

Report of the

Interlibrary Loan Task Force

Sally Drew, DirectorBureau for Interlibrary Loan and Resource Sharing

DPI

Wisconsin Department of Public InstructionJohn T. Benson, State Superintendent

Madison, Wisconsin

3

This publication is available from

Bureau for Interlibrary Loan and Resource SharingWisconsin Department of Public Instruction

2109 South Stoughton RoadMadison, WI 53716-2899

(608) 224-6167

January 1996

Bulletin No. 96298

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race,religion, age, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexualorientation or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability.

Printed on recycled paper.

ii

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1Purpose of the Task Force 1Interlibrary Loan Task Force members - 1994-95 4Division for Libraries and Community Learning staff members 4

Basic Interlibrary Loan Services 6Access 6Costs 6Responsibilities 6Requests 6Timelines 7Materials 7

Summary of Interlibrary Loan Task Force Issuesand Recommendations 8Issue Statement 1 8Issue Statement 2 9Issue Statement 3 10Issue Statement 4 11Issue Statement 5 11

Issue Statement 1 13Background 13Problems 17Subissues 18Recommendations 18

Issue Statement 2 20Background 20Problems 23Subissues 27Recommendations 28

Issue Statement 3 29Background 29Problems 30Subissues 30Recommendations 30

Issue Statement 4 31Background 31Problems 31Subissues 32Recommendations 32

Issue Statement 5 33Background 33Problems 37Subissues 38Recommendations 38

In

IntroductionPurpose of the Task Force

State Superintendent of Public Instruction John Benson appointed the InterlibraryLibrary Loan Task Force in 1994 to accomplish two tasks.

To identify and discuss effective patterns and methods of sharing resources amonglibraries of all types in Wisconsin. Aspects of resource sharing to be considered includedtechnical developments, request referral patterns, document delivery sources and patterns,reimbursement questions, reference services, and other issues identified.

To determine the direction that the Division for Libraries and Community Learning,library systems, and local libraries should take in relation to resource sharing, and tosuggest revisions in or additions to existing statewide resource-sharing protocols that willhelp ensure that library users throughout the state receive equitable, cost-effectiveinterlibrary loan service.

The Task Force held six meetings during 1994 and 1995 during which membersdiscussed strengths, weaknesses, and problems related to interlibrary loan and developedfive issue papers with recommendations. Members also outlined their expectations for basicinterlibrary loan services, reviewed the 1985 guidelines and made recommendations whichwere incorporated into a newly revised version.

Definition of interlibrary loan and reference referralTask Force members used the definition which is in the revised Wisconsin Interlibrary

Loan Guidelines, 1996.A transaction in which library materials, or copies of the material, are made available by

one library or information service to another upon request for a specific item or general orspecific information.

Requests made between two libraries by placing holds on a local automated system areconsidered to be interlibrary loan requests.

A public library is considered to be an entity organized under a single governancestructure which may have multiple branches. Loan of materials between branches of thesame public library is generally not considered to be interlibrary loan. Although it mayoccasionally be treated differently, loan of materials to or from academic, school, or speciallibrary buildings regardless of governing structure is considered interlibrary loan.

Strengths of the current interlibrary loan systemAt its first meeting, group members discussed aspects of the current interlibrary loan

system that are working well and those that are not working well. Wisconsin's currentinterlibrary loan system has a number of strengths, according to task force members.Transfer of requests is facilitated by on-line systems in some parts of Wisconsin and byother electronic technologies in other areas. WISCAT, the statewide union catalog oncompact disc, and/or the national On-line Computer Library Center (OCLC) databases areavailable to make it easier for local and state-level interlibrary loan staff to determine whichlibraries around the state own items that local patrons have requested.

The group considered the flexibility of Wisconsin's resource sharing patterns andpractices to be a strength as well. Low costs to user agencies, well-established policies andprocedures, and request coordination by library systems and the state Reference and LoanLibrary also were described as advantages of the current interlibrary loan system.

In addition, library participation in interlibrary loan is widespread and a general attitudeof cooperation prevails. Participants have wide access to in-state and out-of-state materials,

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and they provide and receive fairly effective and efficient service. Task force members alsonoted that the existing materials delivery system reaches most areas of the state.

Problems with the current interlibrary loan systemThe current interlibrary loan system does exhibit some weaknesses, however. State-level

and local funding for resource sharing are inadequate, and reimbursement for providinginterlibrary loan services is not standard statewide. State legislation to fund multitypelibrary systems, which could support further interlibrary development, has not so far beenpassed. Group members also said that interlibrary loan staff need more training ininterlibrary loan processes and procedures.

Providing equitable access can be a problem in some geographic areas and for some typesand sizes of libraries, task force members said. Many library patrons have problems usinginterlibrary loan or are unaware that interlibrary loan services are available. It is too slow,and procedures ought to be streamlined. Delivery systems also must be upgraded, both tofacilitate more FAX transmission of materials and to improve service to rural libraries andlibraries of all types.

Other stumbling blocks were described as well. Staff are not well informed aboutcopyright guidelines, and in some areas, such as use of electronic media, copyrightguidelines affecting interlibrary loan are unclear or problematic. The Wisconsin Union Listof Serials needs to be expanded and made available to more users in electronic form.Materials in audiovisual formats are not widely available, and access to electronic tools andresources is not adequate in many areas of the state. Further improvements in WISCAT arecalled for, including making it available on-line.

Relevant trendsThe task force members identified a list of relevant trends as well. Among those

considered likely to affect interlibrary loan service in the future is expanding use ofelectronic access methods and formats, including shared on-line catalogs, Internetresources, patron-initiated interlibrary loan, commercial information suppliers, full-textdatabases, and compact disc and on-line resources.

Demand for faster delivery will probably keep growing, task force members said, as willother user expectations and demands. They thought more and more individuals, as well aslibraries, would gain access to the international Internet electronic network in comingyears, which is bound to affect library services. Individuals using Internet resources fromtheir home or office may decrease library use while those not having direct access may go tothe library to use the Internet. These and other factors also could cause library staff andusers to suffer from information overload.

The group thought that problems with the cost and funding of interlibrary loan serviceswould become more acute in the future, that access inequities are likely to increase ratherthan diminish, and that application of copyright law would become more complicated. Othertrends considered likely to affect interlibrary loan are the need to preserve library materialsand a need for more standardization.

An increase in cooperation among libraries is another trend foreseen by task forcemembers. They predicted that all types of libraries would eventually be included moresystematically in ongoing resource sharing and planning.

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Presentations and discussionsDuring the meetings, staff and task force members made presentations to provide group

members background and updated information in a variety of areas.Division for Libraries and Community Learning staff provided information on uses of

new technologies. Automation consultant Bob Bocher provided information on Departmentof Public Instruction efforts to increase access to and use of the Internet. Other division staffdescribed programs in other states, including Maryland, Ohio, and Washington. Referenceand Loan Library director Sally Drew also provided an introduction to use of the automationstandard for linking different automated systems (Z39.50). Division Administrator, BillWilson, examined the future of "virtual libraries," presenting the ideas of manycontemporary commentators.

At a later meeting, Bill Wilson presented an overview of automated interlibrary loansystem options and costs. Peter Hamon described how shared library systems can benefitinterlibrary loan activities and presented information on costs of developing and operatingthe South Central Library System shared automated system. Kathy Schneider made apresentation on OCLC and discussed the possibility of creating an on-line statewidedatabase using OCLC instead of the WISCAT database. Sally Drew provided use and costinformation for WISCAT CD-ROM, the QuILL interlibrary loan system and Internet access.She also described the bid process used to select a vendor to continue the production of theWISCAT database and CD-ROM, on-line, local tapes, and interlibrary loan products.

Bill Wilson and Sally Drew gave presentations on the state budget situation and providedoverviews of the purposes and the costs of the contracts for interlibrary loan services.Reference and Loan Library services and the costs of providing those services were alsodiscussed.

A panel of library users described experiences with using the interlibrary loan services.The panel included Jan Coombs, freelance writer, Middleton; Ruth Ann Landsverk, familyeducation consultant, Madison; Mike Girdwain, graduate student, University of Wisconsin-Platteville; Judy Ecker, project coordinator, DeForest Public Library; and Mary Barber,board member, DeForest Public Library. Panelists reported that they did not fullyunderstand interlibrary loan processes and costs and suggested that interlibrary loanservices should be better advertised. Some said they would like to be able to initiateinterlibrary loan requests and make status checks directly. The library users agreed that itwould be helpful if automated systems listing holdings in a local library explained thatmaterials not listed potentially could be obtained through interlibrary loan. They alsomentioned the potential value of making interlibrary loan forms more standardized or "lessmysterious."

Panel members who had used automated library catalogs or WISCAT to locate materialsexpressed appreciation for these tools and also proposed various ways to improve them. Inaddition, they voiced concerns about the possibility that libraries might start charging forinterlibrary loan, saying that this would discourage people from using the service.

In order to provide ideas from a more northern part of the state, task force memberKaren Probst of Appleton Public Library added to the insights panel members provided byreporting on interviews about interlibrary loan that she had conducted with users at herlibrary. The users she talked to seemed not to care where materials came from that wereobtained for them through interlibrary loan. However, they did like knowing thatinterlibrary loan gave them access to many library collections. Appleton users also said itwould be nice if information on the holdings of even more libraries could be included inWISCAT.

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Interlibrary loan guidelines revisionsTask force members reviewed the Wisconsin Interlibrary Loan Guidelines, 1985 and

made recommendations for revisions which included defining expectations for basicinterlibrary loan services for the first time, endorsing the National. Interlibrary Loan Codefor the United States, 1993 and incorporating it into the guidelines, adding information oncopyright compliance and the appropriateness of charging for interlibrary loan services tothe guidelines, and updating the guidelines to reflect changes since 1985.

Interlibrary Loan Task Force members - 1994-95David Polodna, ChairPeter HamonTom TomczakSharon WebbEllen BuchbergerJanis BergKaren ProbstDebra SommiVibeke LehmannPat WassinkBryan SchwarkEugene EngeldingerJudy LyonsJulie SchneiderKathy SchneiderJan Coombs

Winding Rivers Library SystemSouth Central Library SystemMilwaukee Public LibraryMid-Wisconsin Library SystemWisconsin Valley Library ServiceDeForest Public LibraryAppleton Public LibraryWisconsin Department of TransportationWisconsin Department of CorrectionsColfax SchoolsUW-PlattevilleCarthage CollegeWisconsin Indianhead Technical CollegeMercy Health Systems Medical LibraryWisconsin Interlibrary ServicesMiddleton, WI

Division for Libraries and Community Learning staffmembersThe following Division staff members assisted by providing information, facilitating smallgroups, recording notes from meetings and other activities.Bill WilsonSally DrewMary Struckmeyer

Terry WilcoxKay IhlenfeldtBob BocherRuth Anne Landsverk

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Division AdministratorDirector, Reference and Loan LibrarySection Head, Interlibrary Loan and Reference,Reference and Loan LibraryInterlibrary Loan Librarian, Reference and Loan LibraryDPI Library LibrarianAutomation Consultant, Bureau for Library DevelopmentFamily Education Consultant, Bureau for Communityand Family Learning

Basic Interlibrary Loan ServicesThe Interlibrary Loan Task Force discussed and recommended which elements should be

considered a part of basic interlibrary loan service. In addition, Wisconsin library staffshould be knowledgeable of and follow the concepts outlined in the National InterlibraryLoan Code.

Users of any library (that library's "customers") should expect to be able to receive theseservices through the interlibrary loan network.

AccessAny type of library may initiate an interlibrary loan request.Customers are informed about interlibrary loan and reference referral services and are

able to place interlibrary loan requests at access points that are convenient for them.Geographic location is not be a barrier to receipt of interlibrary loan and reference referralservices.

Public libraries are gateways to the interlibrary loan system for customers who are notserved by another type of library or who need an access point for a particular type ofinformation.

CostsLibrary governing boards and staff consider interlibrary loan to a library's primary

customers to be a basic service and budget funds for provision of that service.

A library's primary customers receive interlibrary loan services at no direct cost to thecustomer.

Overall costs for providing interlibrary loan services are allocated within the statewideinterlibrary loan structure at the local, area, and state level.

ResponsibilitiesLibrary customers may ask for whatever information they need and expect that library

staff will make a reasonable effort to obtain it.

All library staff treat interlibrary loan requests as confidential except when they mustdiscuss requests to carry out the administrative functions of the library.

Library staff make an effort to understand copyright rules and fair use guidelines and tofollow them consistently.

RequestsCustomers may make requests for known items and for information of a more general

nature.Access to area, state, national/international bibliographic and holdings information is

widely available for use by library staff and/or customers to use.

Every library provides staff and/or instructions that help customers place requests anddetermine the best strategy for having their requests filled.

Use of automated systems that allow patrons to place interlibrary loan requests directlyis encouraged.

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TimelinesEach library attempts to complete an interlibrary loan transaction within the time frame

requested by the customer. Both borrowing and lending libraries begin processing allinterlibrary loan transactions within three days of receipt.

Library staff have a method of tracking interlibrary loan requests as they go through theprocess.

Library staff use the most efficient and cost-effective method for delivering materialsamong libraries. This may vary depending on delivery methods available, their cost, andhow effective the library has found various methods to be. Library staff choose a methodthat strives for two-day delivery within their system area and three-day delivery outsidetheir area.

Customers have access to materials borrowed through interlibrary loan for at least oneweek.

MaterialsLibraries lend materials in all types of formats. Those libraries designated by statute to

lend materials are obligated to provide lending services.

Any library that borrows specific types of materials through interlibrary loan is alsoexpected, if it owns them, to lend those types of materials through interlibrary loan. Alibrary may place limits on loans, but will attempt to lend as many materials as possiblewhen requested to do so.

Library staff follow general, statewide interlibrary loan guidelines and use existingmechanisms for balancing borrowing and loaning among libraries. State and areaclearinghouses are responsible for reviewing and revising guidelines regularly and changingthem as needed.

Interlibrary loan is an adjunct to, not a substitute for, adequate collection development inlocal libraries. The interlibrary loan structure should be used to provide access to materialsnot readily available locally.

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Summary of Interlibrary Loan Task Force Issues

and RecommendationsIssue Statement 1How can Wisconsin library staff most effectively develop and use electronic resources to findinformation in response to requests from library users?

Issue l aWhat should be the minimum access level and type of access to electronic information bytype of library, patron, or information?

Issue 1 bWhat should be the role/function of the state, libraries (public, special, school, academic),library systems, consortia, and vendors in providing access or delivery of electronicinformation?

Issue I cWhat steps would move us toward a virtual database for Wisconsin libraries?

RecommendationsA. The Division for Libraries and Community Learning should work with libraries, public

library systems, state and local government agencies, and vendors to make basicelectronic access to information resources widely available in Wisconsin libraries.1. Library users should have equal access to the state's information resources regardless

of where they live or what type of library that they use.2. Libraries should be provided dial up or leased line access to specified local resources,

Internet, WISCAT (on-line), and to a statewide electronic interlibrary loan system.3. Libraries should be able to send interlibrary loan requests directly to each other

electronically.B. Local libraries, public library systems, and state organizations should play the following

roles in providing access or delivery of electronic information.1. Local libraries should know and understand patrons needs, learn to use the materials

in their collections effectively, request information or materials from outside referralsources, and maintain their records in local and state databases in which theyparticipate.

2. Systems should continue or enlarge the role of assisting libraries to use technology forinterlibrary loan.

3. Systems should coordinate or assist local library automation efforts.4. The state, public library systems and libraries should continually reassess interlibrary

loan policy and protocols, which should not be driven by technology alone.5. The state and public library systems should reassess the role of interlibrary loan

clearinghouses when electronic access is established in all types of libraries,6. The state should assure that all areas have equity of access to resources, encourage

development of shared local systems, continue to develop and implement a statewideinterlibrary loan system, assure equitable access to telecommunications, and developautomation standards.

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7. The state should establish contracts for access to databases which would be availableto all citizens.

C. The Division for Libraries and Community Learning should take the following steps tofacilitate creation of a virtual database.1. Create an on-line version of WISCAT.2. Increase the number of libraries using the Internet.3. Encourage library access to local shared automated systems.4. Provide access to full-text databases.5. Utilize the Internet to interconnect the above resources when economically feasible

to do so.

Issue Statement 2

How can interlibrary loan and reference referral tools and services be improved?

Issue 2aHow can interlibrary loan and reference referral services be better coordinated?

Issue 2bHow can equity of access throughout the state be assured?

RecommendationsA. Libraries should upgrade the following functions to better coordinate and improve

interlibrary loan and reference referral services.1: Improve turnaround time when it is cost-effective to do so.

a. Provide access to holdings information in automated circulation systems to librarystaff and patrons.

b. Transmit interlibrary loan requests electronically.c. Use commercial document suppliers when it can be shown this would provide faster

service at an affordable cost.d. Verify requests properly prior to sending them to other libraries.

2. Improve delivery services to all areas of the state.a. Expand van delivery service, choosing routes to provide for the least amount of

layover of materials.b. Make greater use of FAX delivery when it is appropriate to the format of the

material being delivered.c. Investigate greater use of electronic delivery (e.g. Ariel).d. Send materials directly to library patrons when the materials do not need to be

returned to a library (i.e. photocopies, brochures or other materials which can bekept.)

3. Improve interlibrary loan patterns.a. Cooperatively plan to provide direct interlibrary loan services.b. Borrow and loan materials directly when the technology to do so is available.c. Continue to use clearinghouses for tasks they can do more effectively than local

libraries.d. Increase reciprocal borrowing among libraries and continue to provide a system to

balance traffic among libraries.e. Develop multitype library programs and facilitate cooperation by all types of

libraries.

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f. Develop and implement improved interlibrary loan systems for creating, recording,and tracking interlibrary loan requests.

g. Assure that the library user can keep materials for at least one week by adequatelyadjusting the borrowing time to allow for transit of materials.

4. Comply with federal guidelines and current copyright law.a. Assign expert staff at the state level to answer copyright questions for libraries.b. Develop guidelines for Wisconsin libraries.c. Use copyright clearinghouse services to assure royalties are paid when necessary.

5. Improve access to audiovisual materials.a. Encourage all libraries to share audiovisual materials through interlibrary loan.

6. Improve access to serials holdings information.a. Provide the Wisconsin Union List of Serials on-line or through the WISCAT CD-

ROM project.b. Cooperate regionally in serials collection development.c. Provide electronic access to full-text serials.

B. The Division for Libraries and Community Learning should assure equity of access inWisconsin.1. Provide all libraries with access to basic bibliographic and holdings information for

Wisconsin libraries and a basic level of delivery service (combination of mail, vandelivery, FAX or other means).

2. Provide equal access to telecommunications for all libraries.3. Assist public library systems to equalize service for libraries.

Issue Statement 3

How can users be better educated about interlibrary loan and reference referral services?

Issue 3aHow can library staff inform users about interlibrary loan and reference referral?

Issue 3bHow can library staff teach users to use interlibrary loan appropriately?

Issue 3cHow can library staff help users make use of new technologies for interlibrary loan?

RecommendationsA. Library staff can better inform users about appropriate use of interlibrary loan and

reference referral services by taking part in the following activities.1. Present talks to local service groups inside and outside the library explaining how

interlibrary loan works.2. Schedule individual and group training sessions for frequent users and advertise

sessions in the news media.3. Take part in the Wisconsin Library Association and American Library Association

public awareness campaigns, including promoting interlibrary loan services duringNational Library Week.

4. Sponsor public service announcements about interlibrary loan.

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5. Develop brochures, short guides, and posters about interlibrary loan and referencereferral services, and place bookmarks describing interlibrary loan services in allmaterials circulated.

6. Develop a short video or audiotape for users to use in the library.7. Develop forms which can be easily understood and filled out by patrons.8. Share information about the cost of interlibrary loan with patrons.9. Provide messages on on-line systems informing users that other materials are

available through interlibrary loan.10. Expand access to and continue to develop on-line systems with direct user

interfaces for interlibrary loan and train users in using them.

Issue Statement 4

What should be done to assure library staff are adequately trained to carry out interlibraryloan and reference referral services?

Issue 4aHow can delivery of staff development be improved?

RecommendationsA. The state, public library systems and local libraries should take the following

responsibilities to improve staff development in providing interlibrary loan and referencereferral services.1. State level responsibilities:

a. Maintain staff at the Reference and Loan Library and WILS to consult oninterlibrary loan problems.

b. Develop a training session format and make a video explaining the basics ofinterlibrary loan.

c. Include interlibrary loan training in basic certification requirements.d. Use existing newsletters to update library staff on interlibrary loan procedures.

2. Public library system level responsibilities:a. Provide training sessions and consulting staff to work with local libraries.b. Include tips and updates on interlibrary loan procedures in system newsletters.

3. Local library staff responsibilities:a. Learn to use materials in the library and check local resources prior to making an

interlibrary loan request.b. Attend training sessions on a regular basis.c. Develop clear policy for offering interlibrary loan and reference referral services to

all users without cost to the user.

Issue Statement 5

How should interlibrary loan and referral services be funded in order to assure equity ofaccess throughout the state?

Issue 5aWhat agencies should be compensated and for what costs?

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Issue 5bHow can the costs of interlibrary loan and reference referral be best determined?

Issue 5cHow can interlibrary loan be made more cost effective?

Issue 5dHow will electronic access impact costs and how should it be paid for?

RecommendationsA. Consideration for compensation for interlibrary loan services should be made as follows:

1. Providers of unique materials and services should be compensated for loan of theirmaterials.

2. Libraries engaging in reciprocal borrowing/lending should not expect to becompensated except when net lending is extensive and chronic over a period of time.

3. Compensation may not always be monetary. Services as well as payment may beconsidered compensation.

4. Compensation should cover costs for staff, materials and overhead. Overhead costsmay include in-house supplies, postage, telephone bills, delivery andtelecommunications charges.

5. The Division for Libraries and Community Learning should explore the cost ofsupplying electronic information to libraries and develop a model for paying for orsharing this cost.

B. The method used to determine interlibrary loan and reference referral costs should bebased in part on the reasons for needing to determine the costs. The following reasonscould guide the determination of costs.1. To increase public awareness about the costs associated with interlibrary loan service.2. To decide whether it is more cost-effective to buy an item or to borrow it.3. To determine the best method for borrowing an item.4. To establish budgets.5. To establish appropriate roles and amounts for reimbursement.

C. Interlibrary loan can be made more cost effective under the following circumstances.1. The level of staff assigned interlibrary loan duties is carefully evaluated, and

assignments are made to staff with the lowest level of skill needed.2. Creation of requests by users without staff mediation is encouraged.3. Local resources are used before materials are borrowed through interlibrary loan.4. Public awareness of costs is increased to encourage appropriate use of interlibrary

loan services.5. Work routines are streamlined, record keeping reduced, and the need for all statistics

reassessed periodically.

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Issue Statement 1

How can Wisconsin library staff most effectively develop and use electronic resources to findinformation in response to requests from library users?

BackgroundLibrary staff currently use a wide variety of electronic sources to find information. Two

large bibliographic databases, OCLC and WISCAT, are frequently used to find bibliographicand library holdings information. Emerging technologies such as the Internet and thegrowth of shared automated library systems provide other resources.

OCLCOCLC, Inc. is a nonprofit library computer service and research organization dedicated to

the public purposes of furthering access to the world's information and reducing informationcosts. Created in 1967 by libraries in Ohio, OCLC now serves more than 21,000 libraries in61 countries.

A primary service of OCLC is cataloging (current cataloging, retrospective conversion,and contract cataloging) with an on-line union catalog containing 31.1 million records,growing by 2 million records per year, and 562 million holdings. All types of bibliographicrecords are represented (books, serials, maps, scores, sound recordings, audiovisual, andcomputer files). The database also contains 7.5 million volume-specific serials union listholdings. Linked to the catalog is an interlibrary loan system that offers electronictransmission of requests to multiple lenders, request tracking, statistical reports, a methodfor establishing prioritized groups for borrowing and an automatic, individuallycustomizable fund transfer option. OCLC also offers reference services including databasesand full text, and electronic journals. Products and services of OCLC are accessible througha dedicated telecommunications system or via the Internet.

There are 118 libraries in Wisconsin cataloging on OCLC with holdings of 106 additionallibraries being contributed by processing centers. In Wisconsin, OCLC services are providedthrough Wisconsin Interlibrary Services (WILS).

WISCATWISCAT was developed by the Division for Libraries and Community Learning (DLCL)

in 1983 to provide a single source of bibliographic records and holdings for Wisconsinlibraries. Until 1987, the database was produced on microfiche. In 1988, the Division beganto experiment with CD-ROM technology, and in 1989 the database was also made availableon CD-ROM while the microfiche was gradually phased out. As of June 1995, the WISCATdatabase contained the holdings of 1,084 libraries, 5 million titles, and 24 million libraryholdings. The Division has managed the size of the database by maintaining a core set oftitles and holdings which can be held on five CD-ROM drives and gradually creating discsfor foreign language materials, audio-visual materials, and a quarterly supplement. Fundshave been.budgeted in 1995 to create a union list of serials by creating a separate disc forserial titles and detailed holdings. Approximately, 800 libraries are using the CD-ROMversion of the database.

The WISCAT project continues to have two major goals; to provide a resource sharingtool for libraries of all types and sizes and to provide a source of USMARC records for use inlocal automated library systems.

The use of three software programs, MITINET/retro, MITINET/marc, and WisCon haveallowed libraries which are not members of OCLC to create USMARC records very

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inexpensively. To date, 494 libraries have extracted records from WISCAT and used theserecords in local automated circulation systems and on-line catalog programs.

WISCAT also allows libraries to create interlibrary loan requests and route them to otherlibraries. The QuILL program, currently under development, will manage thetelecommunications and record keeping processes for participating libraries.

The Division is currently investigating the cost and feasibility of creating an on-lineformat for WISCAT in order to be able to use WISCAT via the Internet or dial uptelecommunications and to allow WISCAT potentially to be linked to local automated librarysystems.

Database search servicesThe Division manages statewide database search contracts on behalf of Wisconsin

libraries with Knight-Ridder Information, Inc., Ovid, and The H. W. Wilson Company.Libraries taking part in these contracts include 7 public library systems, 7 public libraries, 5school libraries, 34 academic libraries, and 39 special libraries. These libraries spendapproximately $570,000 on database searching per year. In addition, libraries contractdirectly with these and other vendors for other products and services, but no record isavailable of this participation.

The Reference and Loan Library searches electronic databases in response to subject andreference requests submitted by state employees and public library systems. In addition tothe above database services, the Reference and Loan Library uses LEXIS/NEXIS,WESTLAW, DataTimes (a full text newspaper database) and selected CD-ROM products.

Full text databasesFull text databases are available in both CD-ROM and on-line format. It is possible to

provide dial up capability to either format, however, the CD-ROM format would likelyservice a lesser number of simultaneous users. The most common types of materialsavailable in full text are newspaper and periodical articles. Some sources also offer bookmaterials. It is not always possible to obtain graphics or pictures from full-text vendors sodepending on what is needed, digital full-text may not provide complete information.

Some libraries have begun to mount bibliographic indexes, some of which may offer fulltext information, on the computers operating their local automated circulation on on-linecatalog systems. Authorized users can dial in to these systems and search this data inaddition to the library's catalog.

DOCLINEDOCLINE is the National Library of Medicine's automated interlibrary loan request

routing and order referral system. The system was developed to improve document deliveryservice by linking the holdings of over 3,400 libraries and routing the interlibrary loanrequests quickly and efficiently throughout the National Network of Libraries of Medicine.DOCLINE began operation in March 1985; and as of June 1993, over 2,500 libraries wereparticipating in the automated system. In fiscal year 1992, 2.4 million requests were sentthrough the system. Using DOCLINE, medical library staff can create, edit, route, receive,fill, check status of, and maintain statistics on interlibrary loan requests. DOCLINE islinked to MEDLINE, its backfiles, the HEALTH file, CATLINE, SERLINE, and AVLINEdatabases allowing users to transfer bibliographic information into interlibrary loanrequests. The system automatically equalizes the workload among potential lenders. Enduser software programs, Grateful Med and Lonesome Doc, allow physicians and otherhealth professionals to search and place interlibrary loan requests.

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InternetThe Internet is a telecommunications network developed in the late 1960s by the Defense

Department. Over the years the Internet has expanded far beyond its original focus both inwhat it is used for and in who has access to it. In 1995, the Internet connected over 37million users internationally. While the Internet is a decentralized network, the onecharacteristic shared by all network sites is the use of common communication protocols totransmit data. This helps insure that data are transmitted correctly regardless of whattypes of computers are connected to the network or where they are located. Data aretransmitted between network sites via high speed telecommunication lines. Data can betransmitted at over 4 million characters per second, the equivalent of about 1,500 pages oftext.

WiscNet is Wisconsin's network which is linked to CICNet, the Big Ten academicnetwork. WiscNet became operational in 1991 and connects the University of Wisconsin andWisconsin Technical College System campuses, private academic institutions, and stategovernment agencies. The Department of Administration has established BadgerDial toprovide dial up access from anywhere in the state at a fixed cost. Local telecommunicationsproviders also offer Internet access in many Wisconsin communities.

Some of the most popular uses of the Internet include:use of electronic mail (e-mail) to communicate with others on the networkaccess to electronic discussion groups on education and library issuesability to view and copy electronic files of information on a wide variety of

subjectsuse of search software to simultaneously search a number of files at the same time.

Development of local automated library systemsThe development of local automated circulation systems, especially those which are

shared by more than one library, offers increased opportunities for sharing resources.Library staff or users can access the circulation system, identify titles which they want toborrow, determine if the item is available for circulation, place a hold or reserve on the item,and have it retrieved and delivered to their local library. This type of a transaction canreplace the more traditional interlibrary loan transaction and save staff time and cost.

Use of Z39.50 protocol also offers the possibility of linking different vendors' systems indiverse locations so that staff or users can access bibliographic and holdings information inother systems using telecommunications links.

Public Libraries:The Division did a survey in March 1994 on the "state of technology" in 380 public

libraries. The survey sought to determine the number of libraries which had automatedcirculation systems and on-line patron access catalogs (OPAC). The survey asked thoselibraries which did not have automated systems if they expected to install a system withinthe next three years. A summary of the data is given below. For comparison purposes, someof the same questions asked about automated systems in the March 1994 survey were alsoasked in similar survey in March 1991. (Note: there were 375 public libraries in 1991.)

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On-line Catalogs and Circulation Systems:

1994 survey

72 have OPACs (18.9%)136 expect to have OPACs within

three years (44.2%)19 allow the public to dial-in to

their OPAC (5%)126 have circulation systems (33.2%)111 expect to have circulation systems

within three years (43.7%)

1991 survey

22 have OPACs (5.9%)88 expect to have OPACs within

three years (24.9%)(not asked)

69 have circulation systems (18.4%)97 expect to have circulation

within systems within threeyears (31.7%)

Of the libraries with automated systems in the 1994 survey, 38 of the 128 (29.7percent)are part of shared automated systems. The remainder are on "stand-alone" systems.

Academic Libraries:The Division does not collect statistics on the use of technology in our state's academic

libraries. However, a general overview is provided below.All campuses of the University of Wisconsin system are automated with the NOTIS

automated system. The modules widely installed include circulation, OPAC, acquisitionsand serials. All of the larger private academic libraries have also implemented automatedsystems. This includes, for example, Lawrence University, Marquette University, and BeloitCollege. Many of the smaller academic libraries in the Milwaukee area are part of anautomated consortium (SWITCH).

In addition to basic automated systems, a majority of academic libraries provide theirstudents and faculty with access to informational databases.

School Media Centers:The Division is in the process of tabulating the data from a comprehensive survey of

media centers in Wisconsin's public schools. To date, survey results from 1,150 mediacenters have been tabulated. This represents 56percent of the 2,036 K-12 public schools inthe state. Preliminary results of the data related to circulation systems and OPACs are;1994 K-12 Media Center Survey

227 have OPACs (19.5percent of tabulated surveys)480 have circulation systems (41.7percent)

Special Libraries:No information is collected on the use of technology in Wisconsin's special libraries.

A Virtual DatabaseMany people refer to the concept of a virtual database when describing their idea of thefuture of information delivery. There are many different versions of this concept. Thefollowing is provided in an attempt to develop a common understanding for the purpose ofdiscussion for this Task Force.

A virtual database would combine information from a multitude of sources locatedthroughout the world into one seamless information resource. For example, users could sitat a public access information station and be able to access information on any particulartopic, with the user's query being refined by interactive software. Information resources

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matching the query could come from a variety of sources including newspapers, magazines,monographs, encyclopedias, research and technical reports, government publications,corporate reports and other resources. In addition, information could come from any ofthousands of libraries and other sites connected to a global network. From the user'sperspective, there would be no need to know the original location of the information. Theinformation retrieved would be arranged, categorized and displayed based on the patronsstated preferences from previous dialogue with the search software. From the dataretrieved, the user would have a number of options including viewing the cited resource, fulltext retrieval (including any multimedia resources), or options to refine the original search.

Technically, the concept of a virtual database could be achieved by linking variousautomated systems together using the Z39.50 national standard for linking databases. Thisstandard allows the user of one automated system to search another automated systemwithout having to learn the second systems search strategy and protocols. Automatedsystems can also be linked through Gopher, World Wide Web, and other specialized serversand software.

Problems1. There are many types of electronic access to different automated systems and as yet

there are few methods for linking them together.2. Access to electronic resources is not the same across the state.3. Access to digital lines or high quality voice lines is not even across the state.4. Users will increasingly want to have direct access to electronic information from homes,

offices, and other places, including the ability to place interlibrary loan requests.5. WISCAT needs to be placed on-line in order to accommodate growth and to link to other

systems( More library collections need to be added to WISCAT and serials holdings(WULS) need to be incorporated into WISCAT.

6. The Z39.50 protocol is not yet in wide use, and the long term effectiveness and cost of itsoperation to link many libraries together is still largely unknown.

Subissues

Issue I aWhat should be the minimum access level and type of access to electronic information bytype of library, patron, or information?

Issue 1 bWhat should be the role/function of the state, libraries (public, special, school, academic),library systems, consortia, and vendors in providing access or delivery of electronicinformation?

Issue I cWhat steps would move us toward a virtual database for Wisconsin libraries?

RecommendationsA. The Division for Libraries and Community Learning should work with libraries, public

library systems, state and local government agencies, and vendors to make basicelectronic access to information resources widely available in Wisconsin libraries.

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1. Library users should have equal access to the state's information resources regardlessof where they live or what type of library that they use.

2. Libraries should be provided dial up or leased line access to specified local resources,Internet, WISCAT (on-line), and to a statewide electronic interlibrary loan system.

3. Libraries should be able to send interlibrary loan requests directly to each otherelectronically.

B. Local libraries, public library systems, and state organizations should play the followingroles in providing access or delivery of electronic information.1. Local libraries should know and understand patrons needs, learn to use the materials

in their collections effectively, request information or materials from outside referralsources, and maintain their records in local and state databases in which theyparticipate.

2. Systems should continue or enlarge the role of assisting libraries to use technology forinterlibrary loan.

3. Systems should coordinate or assist local library automation efforts.4. The state, public library systems and libraries should continually reassess interlibrary

loan policy and protocols which should not be driven by technology alone.5. The state and public library systems should reassess the role of interlibrary loan

clearinghouses when electronic access is established in all types of libraries,6. The state should assure that all areas have equity of access to resources, encourage

development of shared local systems, continue to develop and implement a statewideinterlibrary loan system, assure equitable access to telecommunications, and developautomation standards.

7. The state should establish contracts for access to databases which would be availableto all citizens.

C. The Division for Libraries and Community Learning should take the following steps tofacilitate creation of a virtual database.

1. Create an on-line version of WISCAT.2. Increase the number of libraries using the Internet.3. Encourage library access to local shared automated systems.4. Provide access to full-text databases.5. Utilize the Internet to interconnect the above resources when economically feasible to

do so.

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Issue Statement 2

How can interlibrary loan and reference referral tools and services be improved?

BackgroundWisconsin librarians have a long tradition of cooperating to facilitate resource-sharing

activities at the local and state level. Libraries of all types serve as both lenders andborrowers of both print and non-print materials intended to fill requests for both specificitems (author/title requests) and information (reference/subject requests).

The most recent statistics on the volume of statewide interlibrary loan for all types oflibraries were obtained in 1987 by King Research, Inc. which published A Study ofInterlibrary Loan and Reference Referral Services In The State of Wisconsin in November,1988. According to this study, the total number of interlibrary loan items requested inWisconsin in 1987 was estimated to be 850,600. Of this total public libraries requested421,900 items, academic libraries 92,800, school libraries, 93,300 and special libraries242,600. In addition to this, it is estimated that 297,700 reference/subject requests wereplaced.

The Division for Libraries and Community Learning maintains annual statistics forpublic libraries. In 1994, the latest year for which statistics have been compiled, publiclibraries loaned nearly 665,000 for a rate of .12 item per capita or one book for every 12people per year. In 1993-94 fiscal year, University of Wisconsin libraries loaned 158,262books and requested 91,473 from other libraries. There are no comparable figures collectedannually for all types of libraries. However, if volume for all types of libraries grew at the'same rate as for public libraries, a statewide annual total for 1994 would have beenapproximately 1,116,000.

Several editions of written Interlibrary Loan Guidelines were published by the Divisionfor Library Services in the early 1980s. The King study showed a variety of borrowingpatterns existing in 1987, with public libraries tending to refer through a network ofclearinghouses (40percent), and 4lpercent of the total going directly to the owning library.Borrowing patterns have been influenced by many factors, including organizationalevolution of participating libraries, funding patterns, transmission equipment andverification tools.

Participants in the statewide network include:Wisconsin Reference and Loan Library (R&LL)Wisconsin Interlibrary Services (WILS)

Milwaukee Public Library (MPL)

Public library system clearinghouses and resource librariesLibraries of all types and sizes

The Reference and Loan LibraryThe Traveling Library and the Free Library Commission were forerunners of the

Reference and Loan Library. Over the past one hundred years, the library has developed acollection of materials to meet the needs of a wide variety of users where local resourceshave not been sufficient to meet their information needs.

Today the Reference and Loan Library is mandated by statute to "provide specializedinformation services" to public, school, state agency, institutional and other types oflibraries. R&LL acts as a clearinghouse for requests from 17 library systems, state agencies

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and institutions, as well as for libraries that are not served through a library system. Stateagency employees are served through their agency's library, if one exists, or directly if thereis no agency library. Residents and staff of correctional and mental health institutions areserved through their local institution's library. Requests are filled from the R&LL collectionor are referred to libraries of all types throughout the state and nation. Funding for thisservice is included in the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's budget, since theReference and Loan Library is officially DPI's Bureau for Interlibrary Loan and ResourceSharing.

Wisconsin Interlibrary ServicesWisconsin Interlibrary Services (WILS) is an agency sponsored by the Council of

Wisconsin Libraries (COWL), a not-for-profit corporation which includes all types oflibraries in its membership. WILS was originally created to provide interlibrary loan accessto the library collections on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. WILSservice has expanded to include the referral of interlibrary loan requests among all of itsmember libraries. There are currently 77 members (including the 17 library systems andthe Reference and Loan Library), who pay an annual membership fee. WILS libraries arealso charged a "per transaction" fee, depending on the level of referral for each request.Access to WILS for public, school and other types of libraries served by the Reference &Loan Library has been funded by a resource sharing contract between the University ofWisconsin-Madison and the Department of Public Instruction, Division for Libraries andCommunity Learning. Contract money is appropriated by the state Legislature.

Milwaukee Public LibraryMilwaukee Public Library provides statewide access to its collection under a contract

agreement with the Department of Public Instruction, Division for Libraries andCommunity Learning. The contract allows library systems to access Milwaukee PublicLibrary's vast resources when materials cannot be obtained locally. Funding for contractstaffing and supplies costs is appropriated by the state Legislature. Space and use of thecollection are funded by Milwaukee Public Library. Due to insufficient state funding, thiscontract will likely be discontinued during 1995-96.

Public library systemsAs public library systems developed, interlibrary loan and reference clearinghouse

services became a strong component of system service. Systems contracted with resourcelibraries to fill author/title and subject requests received from member libraries. Requeststhat could not be filled at the resource library were referred by system staff to the Referenceand Loan Library.

Several public library systems have developed shared automated circulation systems andon-line catalogs which include some or all of the public libraries in the system area. In theseareas, libraries may place reserves on items in the shared database, requesting that theitem be delivered to the appropriate system library. In most cases, these systems havedelivery systems operating at least 3 days per week or more. When automated systems areused in this way, interlibrary loan could be considered a form of circulation and is handledwith less staff intervention. The requesting library is usually able to determine whether ornot there is a copy of the material immediately available.

As public library systems developed further, many began to offer interlibrary loan andreference services to other types of libraries in their areas. Although attempts have beenmade to convert public library systems to multitype systems through legislation, these

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efforts have not been successful. According to the King Study, requests filled byclearinghouses cost less, but were not filled as quickly.

Specialized library networksSpecial libraries sometimes have agreements for sharing resources among libraries with

similar specialties or businesses. Medical libraries share resources on a national basis usingthe DOCLINE automated interlibrary loan system. School libraries and academic librariesmay also sometimes have agreements within a specific area. The libraries with theWisconsin Technical College system sometimes share resources among themselves prior tousing other libraries.

Evolution of interlibrary loan servicesIn the 1970's, the Reference and Loan Library, the UW-Madison campus libraries and

Milwaukee Public Library were the primary collections available for interlibrary loan. Themajority of request traffic consisted of referrals made from the local level to state levelproviders. UW-Madison campus holdings were verified on microfilmed copies of the campuscard catalog records. Milwaukee Public Library holdings were verified on a microfiche list oftitles. Requests were referred by teletype from the public library system headquarters to theReference and Loan Library and by WILS member libraries to WILS. Many individuallibraries also referred requests to WILS and the Reference and Loan Library. The primarydelivery mechanism for sending materials to the borrowing library was the United StatesPostal Service.

With the advent of OCLC, originally created as a database of catalog records with libraryholdings attached, it became possible to identify the holdings of a much wider number oflibraries throughout the state. OCLC records were also used to create The Wisconsin UnionList of Serials (WULS), the first tool to list in one place the periodical holdings of libraries ofall types throughout the state. In 1983 WISCAT, a database of Wisconsin Library holdings,was created making it possible to identify the location of materials in some of the smallestlibraries in the state. At this point, both WILS and the Reference and Loan Libraryexpanded their clearinghouse services to include referrals back down the line to memberand local libraries.

As tools pinpointing the location of items were developed, direct referrals became morefeasible. OCLC developed an interlibrary loan subsystem designed to facilitate directtransactions by allowing a borrowing library to create a lender string of up to five potentiallending locations, checked in succession. OCLC has become a major transmission tool foracademic and special libraries.

Until 1980, there were no written guidelines for interlibrary loan patterns in the state ofWisconsin. In 1979, concern among members of the library community about the potentialimpact on interlibrary loan of verification and transmission tools such as OCLC and WULSled to the creation of a Statewide Committee on Interlibrary Loan and Reference ReferralPatterns in Wisconsin. The committee members were charged with developing guidelines forarea-to-area, state-level, and out-of-state interlibrary loan and reference referrals. In May of1980 this committee published the first codification of guidelines for interlibrary serviceamong libraries of all types. Although changes have been made in state-level policies andprocedures, necessitated primarily by funding problems, the Guidelines have not beenupdated since the third edition, published in 1985.

Current ILL patternsToday much of the structure of the Guidelines remains. Use of WISCAT, OCLC, and

WULS allows verification of title or issue ownership before submitting a request. Depending

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upon the verification tools available at the local library and referral protocols agreed uponwithin each system, in some systems requests may be referred directly to a member of thesame library system in hopes of filling the request without the use of the library system'sclearinghouse. These library systems may have a "priority list" to help local librariesdetermine who to send the request to first. Requests that remain unfilled at the system levelare sent to the library system's interlibrary loan clearinghouse for further referral. Librarieswithout these tools may send all of their requests to the library system clearinghouse forprocessing.

When a request needs to be referred outside of the library system, the system'sinterlibrary loan clearinghouse staff will select the referral source. In order to balance theworkload among the state's library systems, a hierarchy has been developed so that requestsare first sent to other public library systems that receive the fewest requests. Systemscurrently refer directly to other library systems when the title or issue has been verified asowned by five library systems or less. Requests for items owned at more than five librarysystems may be referred through the Reference and Loan Library. A library system mayrefer directly to all library systems if they so choose.

Systems may also refer requests to WILS directly when staff have verified that a title isonly owned on the UW-Madison campus or at the Wisconsin State Historical Society.Systems may include other WILS members in the holdings string sent to WILS so that therequest can be referred by WILS to WILS member libraries if it is unable to be filled on-campus. Some systems prefer to send requests with WILS-only locations to the Referenceand Loan Library for further verification.

The Reference and Loan Library accesses a variety of locations that are not system-accessible in order to use WILS contract funds effectively. The Reference and Loan Libraryrecommends that systems send serial requests without system-accessible locations to theReference and Loan Library, where serials searchers check verifications in an attempt to fillrequests from non-WILS sources in order to stretch dwindling contract dollars.

The Reference and Loan Library refers requests on behalf of state agencies andinstitutions as well as several technical colleges and special libraries that are not serveddirectly by their geographic library system. Likewise, all Wisconsin libraries that are notsystem-accessible or WILS members are accessed by the Reference and Loan Library onbehalf of libraries.

Problems1. Equity of resources and services

While there is a rapidly growing demand for interlibrary loan services, not all types oflibraries are able to offer their patrons equitable access to this service. Interlibrary loan is alabor-intensive activity and providing good service means keeping detailed records of alltransactions. In libraries of all types, there is often not sufficient staff to devote time tokeeping records and statistics, to clarify patron needs, or to verify requests before they arereferred to another resource. Automation of the process has been explored by WILS and bythe Division, but the high volume of traffic has made it difficult to find or develop a singlesystem which will efficiently and inexpensively handle all statewide traffic.

In addition to staff, many libraries are not able to afford the latest technology whichcould improve interlibrary loan service. Access to many on-line systems and remotedatabases is expensive due to vendor fees or telecommunications costs. The cost ofcommercial vendor fees and alternate delivery systems may also be prohibitive.Telefacsimile machines allow for speedy delivery of some documents, but still havelimitations. The size and nature of documents transmitted as well as availability of staff torun the machines are limiting factors.

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State-level and public library system clearinghouses have made some attempts to balancereferral loads, but because resources are not evenly distributed some libraries have becomenet lenders. Direct interlibrary loan is increasing, with referral decisions based on fastservice because of delivery schedules, alphabetical listings in verification tools, andgeographic proximity, rather than equitable distribution of requests. As the trend towarddirect borrowing continues, it is likely that distribution of requests will be even moreuneven.

Although small libraries are willing to share their materials as evidenced by theirparticipation in WISCAT, they cannot always afford to pay for services associated withinterlibrary loan, such as photocopy, van delivery or postal costs. If larger libraries begin tocharge for interlibrary loan services, not only will small libraries be unable to purchasematerials needed, they will also no longer be able to borrow them.

Materials in some library collections, while listed in verification tools, may not beavailable for loan because of local policies. For example, school library collections are notaccessible during the summer months. Many libraries will not loan audiovisual and othernonprint materials.

As funding decreases at all levels and as users demand speedier service and moreresources, additional libraries increasingly discuss the possibility of charging forinterlibrary loan requests.

2. Interlibrary loan patternsDespite efforts to codify statewide interlibrary loan patterns, a multiplicity of borrowing

patterns has evolved. Clearing the local geographic area before making referrals outside thisarea continues to be one of the basic tenets of national interlibrary loan procedures and is aprime factor in Wisconsin's Interlibrary Loan Guidelines, although patterns have alsoevolved based on the needs of specific types of libraries. Legislation to create multitypelibrary systems might have encouraged more local area loans between libraries of differenttypes, but there was insufficient support to get it passed during the previous two biennia.

Speed of delivery is often the prime criteria for corporate and research organizationsinitiating interlibrary loan requests. These types of libraries are likely to have fundsavailable to pay for materials, so they are more likely than other types to get materials fromcommercial document clearinghouses. Health sciences libraries generally participate inDOCLINE, an automated system for requesting articles from medical journals, because thematerials they most often need are located in specialized collections, not necessarily locatedin Wisconsin.

Advances in technology and delivery systems have led to more direct borrowing. OCLC isbest suited to direct library-to-library transactions, although clearinghouses such as WILShave adapted it to their needs. The current bulletin board system developed and used by themajority of libraries accessing the Reference and Loan Library was designed for use in ahierarchical network, but QuILL, a new automated system, could facilitate direct borrowingprotocols. Shared on-line systems which provide access to call numbers and circulationstatus provide a greater opportunity for direct borrowing by both libraries and patrons.

The Reference and Loan Library has also made changes in service patterns to allowlimited direct access. In order to align itself more fully with the mission of the Departmentof Public Instruction and in an attempt to respond to school library/media staffs' requests forfaster service, the Reference and Loan Library has experimented with providing somereference and interlibrary loan service directly to school personnel. School library staff maynow submit interlibrary loan requests for audiovisual and for other materials verified asowned by the Reference and Loan Library directly instead of passing requests through thelocal public library system clearinghouse. Subject requests for information related toeducational policy and planning may also be submitted directly to the Reference and LoanLibrary. In 1994, the Reference and Loan. Library agreed to house, catalog and lend over3,000 video cassettes previously owned by the UW-Extension's Bureau of Audiovisual

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Instruction (BAVI). Videocassettes verified as owned at the Reference and Loan Library arenow booked and loaned directly to requesters from libraries and other organizations,including K-12 school personnel and faculty and staff at academic institutions.

Development of the Internet has also impacted interlibrary loan. Local on-line catalogs atmany libraries around the state and the nation are now accessible to libraries and toindividuals using home computers. It is not clear to either individual users or librarians howrequests for materials identified on the Internet should be placed.

Despite these advances in technologies, many interlibrary loan requests are nottransmitted electronically. The telephone and U.S. mail or delivery vans are still used fortransmission of some requests. Some libraries receive and transmit requests by severaldifferent methods, resulting in dispersion of energy and expanding needs for staff training.

Staff at the Division have discussed updating the 1985 Guidelines to reflect thesechanges. However, as more direct referrals are made and more variations in patterns occurat all levels, it becomes increasingly difficult to clearly and concisely describe these patterns.

3. Tilmaround timeIn an age where the instantaneous transmission of information is possible, interlibrary

loan is perceived as a slow process. Slow turnaround time was identified as a problem in theKing report which found that "satisfaction with response time is generally low." Elements ofthe service which need to be speeded up include transmission of requests and statistics,responses to requests, and delivery of actual materials.

4. Additional state level responsibilitiesDiminished funding at both the state and local levels has resulted in changes in referral

patterns. Because of reductions in funding for the state level interlibrary loan contracts, theReference and Loan Library staff have taken on added responsibilities for verifying,referring, and keeping statistics for referrals to WILS and its member libraries. Publiclibrary system clearinghouses also have taken on more responsibility for referrals to otherpublic library systems. Responsibility for direct referrals within public library systems hasbeen passed on down the line to individual local libraries, which may lack both sufficientstaff and the technology to handle local referral traffic. These refinements of the 1985Guidelines have not been codified in an official document.

5. DeliveryIn some areas oithpstate there is very good inter-system van delivery. Among the

systems participating in the van delivery, local van delivery (intra-system) varies from verygood to inadequate. In some areas of the state there is no local van delivery, as the wide-spread geographic area would be impossible to service well (or cost-effectively). Thosesystems that do not participate in van delivery use the U.S. Postal Service most often.Fourth class library-rate mail has just experienced a rise in postage costs by 69.4percent,and UPS rates are also increasing.

6. Collection developmentOne of the recommendations of the King study was cooperative collection development.

Little progress has been made in this area since 1987.As funding for libraries at all levels diminishes, the concept of ownership versus access is

being considered by staff responsible for buying library materials. For example, as the costof journal subscriptions continues to spiral up, interlibrary loan of specific articles may beconsidered preferable to maintaining subscriptions to many journal titles. This means that

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fewer libraries will own needed resources, and interlibrary loan traffic to access theseresources will increase.

7. Audiovisual formatsNot all libraries lend all formats of audiovisual material. Some libraries have added

monographic holdings to WISCAT, but have yet to add their audiovisual holdings. Systemlevel staff feel that to facilitate lending, a statewide decision that audiovisual materials areconsidered comparable to book materials is needed. An experimental cooperative agreementwith MINITEX (which is comprised of libraries in Minnesota, North Dakota and SouthDakota) is underway to determine if we can borrow audiovisual items cooperatively withparticipating out-of-state libraries.

8.. CopyrightLibraries have many questions about copyright. They look to the WILS and the Reference

and Loan Library staff for answers to everything from basic to very complex questions.There are many questions about copyright and the newest technologies. Copyrightcompliance is not always understood or followed.

To assure compliance with copyright law, commercial document suppliers provide copiesof journal articles for a fee, part of which covers a licensing agreement with the copyrightholder. Although these document delivery services provide speedy service and a guaranteethat copies are legal, not all libraries can afford to pay the fees charged.

9. Serials holdingsAs technological development and the "information explosion" continue to be significant

factors in our society, there is an increasing demand for current and technical information.This material is indexed in automated databases, which are becoming increasingly availableto the public. Requests for journal articles are increasing, and verification procedures forserials are more complicated than for other items.

Verification of a request for a journal article involves not only identifying the holder of asubscription to the journal, but locating a holder of the specific issue which includes thedesired article. WISCAT does not yet show volume-specific holdings for serials, and WULSis no longer the only source of information on journal holdings. Two of the largest academiclibraries in the state, UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee, are using NOTIS instead of OCLCto record current serial holdings. If on-line verification is used for serials requests, bothOCLC and the on -line catalogs for UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee must be checked.Libraries which do not have access to or cannot afford to pay for on-line access to these toolsmust check several sets of microfiche (updated annually) to locate the best referral sourcefor a journal article.

SubissuesIssue 2aHow can interlibrary loan and reference referral services be better coordinated?

Issue 2bHow can equity of access throughout the state be assured?

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RecommendationsA. Libraries should upgrade the following functions to better coordinate and improve

interlibrary loan and reference referral services.1. Improve turnaround time when it is cost-effective to do so.

a. Provide access to holdings information in automated circulation systems to librarystaff and patrons.

b. Transmit interlibrary loan requests electronically.c. Use commercial document suppliers when it can be shown this would provide faster

service at an affordable cost.d. Verify requests properly prior to sending them to other libraries.

2.. Improve delivery services to all areas of the state.a. Expand.van delivery service, choosing routes to provide for the least amount of

layover of materials.b. Make greater use of FAX delivery when it is appropriate to the format of the

material being delivered.c. Investigate greater use of electronic delivery (e.g. Ariel).d. Send materials directly to library patrons when the materials do .not need to be

returned, to a library (i.e. photocopies, brochures or other materials which can bekept.)

3. Improve interlibrary loan patterns.a. Cooperatively plan to provide direct interlibrary loan services.b. Borrow and loan materials directly when the technology to do so is available.c. Continue to use clearinghouses for tasks they can do more effectively than local

libraries.d. Increase reciprocal borrowing among libraries and continue to provide a system to

balance traffic among libraries.e. Develop multitype library programs and facilitate cooperation by all types of

libraries.f. Develop and implement improved interlibrary loan systems for creating, recording,

and tracking interlibrary loan requests.g. Assure that the library user can keep materials for at least one week by adequately

adjusting the borrowing time to allow for transit of materials.4. Comply with federal guidelines and current copyright law.

a. Assign expert staff at the state level to answer copyright questions for libraries.b. Develop guidelines for Wisconsin libraries.c. Use copyright clearinghouse services to assure royalties are paid when necessary.

5. Improve access to audiovisual materials.a. Encourage all libraries to share audiovisual materials through interlibrary loan.

6. Improve access to serials holdings information.a..Provide the Wisconsin Union List of Serials on-line or through the WISCAT CD-

ROM project.b. Cooperate regionally in serials collection development.c. Provide electronic access to full-text serials.

B. The Division for Libraries and Community Learning should assure equity of access inWisconsin.1. Provide all libraries with access to basic bibliographic and holdings information for

Wisconsin libraries and a basic level of delivery service (combination of mail, vandelivery, FAX or other means).

2. Provide equal access to telecommunications for all libraries.3. Assist public library systems to equalize service for libraries.

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Issue Statement 3

How can users be better educated about interlibrary loan and reference referral services?

BackgroundSeveral national surveys of public library use have been undertaken over the last two

decades. A Gallup survey was completed in 1978, the American Library Associationcompiled information on the "Life Style Profile of the Library User" in 1987, and mostrecently, in 1990, Equifax-Harris conducted a survey called "Consumers in the InformationAge." Although the questions and percentages of respondents differed somewhat in eachsurvey, the trends were similar. Most of the information reported here comes from theEquifax-Harris poll.

The 1990 poll results showed that six out of ten Americans used the public library in thepast year. This is a 15percent increase over the use shown by the Gallup poll. Of those whosaid they had used the public library in the past year, 42percent said they used libraryservices 12 or more times; 24percent said they had done so 5 to 11 times; and 33percent saidthey had used the library 1 to 4 times in the last year.

There had also been a substantial increase in use of nearly every library service since theGallup survey, with the exception of "read newspapers or magazines," which remainedconstant at 49percent. "Took out a book," remained the most popular, polling 9lpercent ofall library users; the Gallup survey found only 75percent used this services. Twenty-fivepercent of all library users reported using a computer terminal at the library in the pastyear.

Although there were no direct questions concerning use of interlibrary loan services, theresponse of users on how they would use a computer if they had one at home wasinteresting. More than two-thirds of the American public said that if they had a homecomputer, it would be either "very valuable" or "somewhat valuable" for them to obtain on-line information from the public library or a nonprofit service. Of those respondents who feltsuch a service would be "very valuable," the strongest percentages were among those aged18-24 and 30-39, those with either a postgraduate education or some college, and thoseearning more than $50,000 a year. Low-income people also expressed considerable interest,however, as did those with less than a high school education. Furthermore, Hispanics andblacks showed greater interest in home computer connections to a library or to a nonprofitservice than did whites.

Chandra G. Prabha and John E. Ogden from OCLC attempted to build on a number ofpast studies to estimate national interlibrary loan volume. Their estimates for annualvolume for 1993 were: public 13.39 million, academic 7.44 million, federal 2.88 million, andspecial libraries 4.20 million. Together, these types of libraries made a total of 27.91 millioninterlibrary loans in 1993.

Public interlibrary loan library use in Wisconsin is higher than in it is nationally.According to annual statistics kept by the Division for Libraries and Community Learning,public libraries loaned nearly 665,000 items in 1994 for a rate of .12 per capita or one bookfor every twelve people per year. The national average is a rate of .03 per capita.Interlibrary loan accounted for less than 2percent of the total loans to Wisconsin residents.Similar statistics are not available for other types of libraries in Wisconsin.

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Problems1. Many library users are not aware that interlibrary loan services are available.2. Library users who do use interlibrary loan services do not understand procedures and

protocols for using the service effectively.3. Library users do not understand the cost of interlibrary loan to the library.4. There is an increasing public demand for information and speed of access. .

5. Users do not always pick up materials which are requested on interlibrary loan.

Subissues

Issue 3aHow can we educate users about interlibrary loan and reference referral?

Issue 3bHow can library staff teach users to use interlibrary loan appropriately?

Issue 3cHow can library staff help users make use of new technologies?

RecommendationsA. Library staff can better inform users about appropriate use of interlibrary loan and

reference referral services by taking part in the following activities.1. Present talks to local service groups inside and outside the library explaining how

interlibrary loan works.2. Schedule individual and group training sessions for frequent users and advertise

sessions in the news media.3.Take part in the Wisconsin Library Association and American Library Association

public awareness campaigns, including promoting interlibrary loan services duringNational Library Week.

4. Sponsor public service announcements about interlibrary loan.5. Develop brochures, short guides, and posters about interlibrary loan and reference

referral services, and place bookmarks describing interlibrary loan services in allmaterials circulated.

6. Develop a short video or audiotape for users to use in the library.7. Develop forms which can be easily understood and filled out by patrons.

.8.Share information about the cost of interlibrary loan with patrons.9. Provide messages on on-line systems informing users that other materials are

available through interlibrary loan.10.Expand access to and continue to develop on-line systems with direct user interfaces

for interlibrary loan and train users in using them.

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Issue Statement 4

What should be done to assure library staff are adequately trained to carry out interlibraryloan and reference referral services?

BackgroundTraining for interlibrary loan and reference service is available from a variety of sources

depending on the type of library a person works for and the interlibrary loan network aperson participates in.

Public library systems are active providers of workshops on reference service andinterlibrary loan topics. Systems are responsible for delivering interlibrary loan andreference services to their public library members and many systems also process requestson behalf of school, special, technical college, and other libraries. Training is an integralpart of this service delivery. Reference and Loan Library staff often take part in theseworkshops.

State level clearinghouses, WILS and the Reference and Loan Library also offer training.WILS provides workshops on using OCLC and on interlibrary loan protocols andprocedures. The Reference and Loan Library holds semi-annual meetings with systemand/or resource library interlibrary loan and reference staff. Informal training is frequentlyprovided through phone consultation while processing requests.

Library associations also offer opportunities for library staff from all types of libraries toobtain training. Conferences held several times a year usually have programs on thesetopics.

Training on interlibrary loan is offered through UW-Extension over the ETN Networkand through workshops. Larger libraries sometimes offer in-house training.

Problems1. The world of information delivery is changing very quickly and there are constantly new

sources for staff to learn or take into consideration. The ability to verify bibliographicinformation and holdings data is increasing, but staff knowledge of and access to thesesources has not always kept pace. Staff are not always aware of what they do not know orneed to know and may not seek out training.

2. Interlibrary loan and reference service referral processes require knowledge of a greatdeal of detail and are still labor intensive. There is a perception among administratorsand other library staff members that interlibrary loan staff may be slow to adopt new orfaster methods of carrying out their tasks. Staff have not been trained and may not yetuse available sources of electronic access. There is sometimes friction between staff whomeet the public and interlibrary loan staff over the amount of information needed fromthe patron in order to refer a request.

3. The cost of training needs to include not only fees for courses, but the cost of release timeand travel.

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Subissues

Issue 4aHow can delivery of staff development be improved?

Issue 4bHow can the interlibrary loan and reference referral process be simplified or changed tominimize staff development needs?

RecommendationsA. The state, public library systems and local libraries should take the following

responsibilities to improve staff development in providing interlibrary loan and referencereferral services.1. State level responsibilities:

a. Maintain staff at the Reference and Loan Library and WILS to consult oninterlibrary loan problems.

b. Develop a training session format and make a video explaining the basics ofinterlibrary loan.

c. Include interlibrary loan training in basic certification requirements.d. Use existing newsletters to update library staff on interlibrary loan procedures.

2. Public library system level responSibilities:a. Provide training sessions and consulting staff to work with local libraries.b. Include tips and updates on interlibrary loan procedures in system newsletters.

3. Local library staff responsibilities:a. Learn to use materials in the library and check local resources prior to making an

interlibrary loan request.b. Attend training sessions on a regular basis.c. Develop clear policy for offering interlibrary loan and reference referral services to

all users without cost to the user.

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Issue Statement 5

How should interlibrary loan and referral services be funded in order to assure equity ofaccess throughout the state?

BackgroundCurrent interlibrary loan costs

The costs of interlibrary loan and referral services are shared by the local, system, andstate levels. Local library staff interview the patron, record patron needs, locate materials intheir own collections, search for locations outside the library using local automated systems,WISCAT, OCLC, local and statewide union lists of serials, and other sources which may beavailable. Special libraries sometimes have regional or national networks to use in additionto statewide sources. Local library staff prepare the request to be sent to another library orclearinghouse by mail, delivery service, electronic mail, OCLC, QuILL or other method.When the materials arrive, the library staff notify the patron; hold the material for pickupor send photocopies to them; maintain interlibrary loan records; send overdues, if needed;and later return the material to the lending library. Local library staff also loan or FAXmaterials to other libraries and keep records related to these transactions.

System level clearinghouses process requests received from libraries in their system area.Some systems take requests directly from all types of libraries, while others require librariesother than public libraries to send their requests through a local public library. Most processrequests on behalf of all types of libraries. System staff further verify bibliographic andholdings information, retrieve or pay for retrieval from the resource library, refer requeststo other libraries in the system area, and prepare requests for transmission to othersystems, the Reference and Loan Library, or WILS. System staff may also search foranswers to reference and subject requests at the resource library or contract for this to bedone.

In some cases, systems reimburse local libraries for lending materials to each other. Inother systems, lending is largely done on a reciprocal basis or is expected in order to receiveother system services.

The Division for Libraries and Community Learning manages the state aid program forpublic library systems and operates the Reference and Loan Library as an interlibrary loanclearinghouse and reference referral center. The Division has traditionally also paid foraccess to two state level resources on behalf of public library systems: WILS and MilwaukeePublic Library. After January, 1996 the Division will discontinue financial support of theMilwaukee Public Library as a state level interlibrary loan resource due to insufficientfunding in the contracts. Milwaukee Federated Library System will establish a system levelclearinghouse to handle a portion of this traffic.

Academic and other libraries may belong to WILS and pay fees for the use of WILSservices. Other state level libraries such as the State Law Library provide service for a fee.Libraries may also pay fees to belong to specialized consortia or to use commercial services.

In 1988, the Division hired King Research, Inc. to conduct a study of interlibrary loanand reference referral. As a part of the study, King Research attempted to determine theaverage costs of interlibrary loan and reference referral services. The King Research staffconcluded that the current interlibrary loan and reference referral systems were costeffective and valuable. They said that interlibrary loan borrowing directly from otherlibraries was relatively fast, but cost more than processing requests through theclearinghouses used in Wisconsin. Libraries paid $9.36 to borrow materials directly fromanother library, $7.82 for requests filled by a public library system clearinghouse, and $7.53

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for requests filled by the Reference and Loan Library after referral by a public librarysystem. If there were no formal interlibrary loan system available in Wisconsin, theresearchers concluded that the cost to libraries would be $9.5 million greater than thecurrent cost or a return on investment of two to one.

The cost of reference referral was also found to be cost effective. The costs per fulfilledreference request were $14.74 for a request filled directly by another library, $13.40 for arequest filled by a public library clearinghouse, and $11.16 for a request filled by theReference and Loan Library after referral from a public library system clearinghouse.

Costs in the King study do not include any overhead costs. King Research trackedrequests through the entire interlibrary loan process, recorded the amount of time needed todo specific tasks, and then calculated the cost of staff time using average salary cost. Tothese costs were added other costs recorded by the library including postage, photocopyingor fees paid. Costs were not specific to each library processing requests. Since this study wasdone, salaries, postage and other costs have increased. Also, van delivery has replacedpostage costs in many areas, and database searches are more frequently conducted toprovide answers to reference requests.

Division staff have attempted to develop a program budget for costs of using state levelclearinghouses or contracting libraries. For Milwaukee Public Library the costs are for the1993-94 fiscal year and do not include the costs of space, administrative or collectionoverhead costs. The costs for WILS are from 1994-95 and do not include building orcollection overhead costs. The costs from the Reference and Loan Library include actualcosts for 1994-95, but use 1993-94 statistics. Costs for the Reference and Loan Library arefigured with and without administrative, building, and collection overhead costs. Overheadcosts for the Reference and Loan Library were figured separately because library staffengage in other activities (such as producing WISCAT) in addition to processing interlibraryloan and subject requests.

The cost of retrieving a book from the collection when bibliographic and holdingsinformation has been verified is $5.45 from Milwaukee Public Library, $3.90 from WILS and$1.25/$2.00 (without/with overhead) from the Reference and Loan Library. The cost ofverifying bibliographic and/or holdings information and referring a request to anotherlibrary was $9.67 (includes basic fee and referral fee) for WILS and $3.45/$6.69(without/with overhead) for the Reference and Loan Library.

Essentially, two types of systems have developed in Wisconsin. The state has paid for astructure to process interlibrary loan requests for public libraries or libraries which sendtheir requests through public libraries or systems. This structure pays for the costs of publiclibrary systems to process interlibrary loan and reference requests and also pays for severalstate level interlibrary loan providers. According to their own system plan, systems decidewhether or not to reimburse local libraries for lending materials to each other and to otherlibraries in the state. Systems cooperate with each other to provide access to materialsstatewide.

The second system, WILS, operates on a cost recovery basis with member librariespaying per transaction fees. WILS members lending materials receive a credit for eachreferral request filled.

Costs associated with automated technologiesAutomated technologies offer the possibility of reduced costs in a number of areas. In

other areas, the technologies offer the opportunity to increase services with the addition of anew cost. Costs of some automated technologies and the potential impact of using thesetechnologies are summarized below. An attempt has been made to list the most obvious costsassociated with each technology, however, these costs may not be the only costs associatedwith using the technology. Technologies are listed in the order they were presented in Issue#1.

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OCLC:OCLC has operated an automated interlibrary loan system since 1978. Library staff can

create, transmit, and track the status of requests using this system. The estimated cost foran existing OCLC user of creating and transmitting a request including searching andidentifying holdings is approximately $1.00 per request. Libraries which are not OCLCusers would have to also pay costs associated with computer or terminal purchase if acomputer is not already available, maintenance and telecommunications or dial up access.First Search, a user-oriented interface makes searching easier for novice searchers, but alsohas fees associated with its use.

Some OCLC users have also suggested that it might be desirable to create an on-lineWISCAT on OCLC. Implementation of this project such a plan would have a variety of costs:

Loading WISCAT holdings for non-OCLC libraries into OCLC.

Searching the on-line database.Maintaining the on-line database (updating holdings for non-OCLC cataloging libraries)Creating and sending interlibrary loan requests.Telecommunications.

Obtaining records for use in local automated systems.

In order to assess the feasibility and potential costs of an OCLC-based WISCAT, OCLCand WILS are sponsoring a six to twelve month pilot test with one public library system.This project includes tape-loading current WISCAT holdings for the participating librarysystem at no cost and access to OCLC FirstSearch. During the pilot project OCLC and WILSwill collect and analyze data on interlibrary loan request traffic and explore thedevelopment of annual, fixed subscription (not transaction-based) pricing for statewide useof the interlibrary loan system. Included in the pilot is an option for two months free accessto FirstSearch reference databases (including full text) linked to the on-line WISCAT.

WISCAT and QUILLThe Division allocated $436,347 in 1994-95 for production of WISCAT. This included

staff, Brodart contract, and supplies and services costs. It did not include building andsupervisory overhead costs. During this year 1,057 libraries had their holdings in WISCAT,and approximately 800 libraries were expected to purchase the CD-ROM version ofWISCAT. Libraries purchasing the entire set of CD-ROM discs paid $160 for eight discs,including the core set of five discs, the foreign language disc, the audiovisual disc and acumulated quarterly update disc. In 1995-96, WISCAT contains nearly 5 million titles and24 million holdings.

To utilize WISCAT, libraries need to have a microcomputer and a minimum of 5 CD-ROM drives. Costs of this equipment on the state contracts are $1,300 for a computer and$3,000 for five CD-ROM drives or a total of $4,300. All libraries currently using the CD-ROM version of WISCAT have already purchased this equipment.

If annual costs paid by the Division were passed back to the 800 libraries purchasing theCD-ROM discs, the cost to the library would be $705 per year. If libraries were charged forhaving their holdings in WISCAT, the cost could be $413 per library for those libraries notbuying the discs and $572 for those libraries buying the discs. Other cost scenarios could bedeveloped.

There are no figures indicating how many interlibrary loan transactions are processed bylibraries using WISCAT. However, the 470 libraries using WISCAT which responded to the1991 survey estimated that they searched over 4,000,000 records per year using WISCAT. If

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all 800 libraries searched at the same levels, then approximately 5,680,000 records per yearwould be searched at a cost of less than ten cents per search.

Costs of QuILL useThe Division has recently begun installing QuILL sites in public library systems and in

some local libraries. QuILL Software integrates the WISCAT Le Pac system into aninterlibrary loan management and telecommunications system. Libraries currently usingWISCAT may choose to become QuILL sites. These libraries do not need to purchaseadditional computers or CD-ROM drives, but must have a modem and a phone line availableand purchase the Crosstalk software. Startup costs are estimated to be $250 or less:Libraries must pay an annual cost for the QuILL software of $100. Ongoingtelecommunications costs include the monthly cost of the phone line and between $50-$75annual telecommunications costs. Interlibrary loan requests are contained in files which areuploaded and downloaded, and the time it takes does not vary a great deal with the numberof requests sent. The speed of the modem appears to have a greater impact on time totransfer requests. Most sessions take 2-3 minutes per call.

Database search services and full text databasesWisconsin libraries currently spend approximately $570,000 per year searching

bibliographic and full text databases through Knight-Ridder (formerly DIALOG), Ovid(formerly CDP TechnologiesBRS), and H.W. Wilson Company. Libraries also search othersources for which group contracts are not available through the Division.

Division staff identified about 20 vendors selling CD-ROM products, on-line access to fulltext information or document delivery of documents for a fee. Costs of access varied widely.Annual subscription costs varied from $500 to $6,000 depending on the service, andcoverage. On-line access costs varied so greatly that it was, almost impossible to make anygeneralizations for individual libraries. Both CD-ROM and on-line vendors appeared willingto negotiate .annual statewide contracts which varied in price from $50,000 to $200,000depending on coverage and the estimated number of simultaneous users. On-line anddocument delivery provider costs were in the range of $5 to $25 per article. However, othercosts such as license fees, password charges and telecommunications costs could be chargedin addition to these charges.

DOCLINEThe development and use of DOCLINE is paid for by the National Library of Medicine.

There is no cost to authorized library users to search the system and send interlibrary loanrequests.

InternetIn addition, costs were, estimated for libraries using_the Internet to search an on-line

database such 'as WISCAT, OCLC or other databases available via the Internet.Libraries can access the Internet in a wide variety of ways. Libraries with local Internet

nodes pay an installation fee and a flat annual fee regardless of use level.Telecommunications vendors are beginning to offer Internet accounts for as low as $1-2 perhour in some parts of the state. The state has recently setup a network called BadgerDialwhich allows libraries to pay a flat fee regardless of where in Wisconsin the library islocated. Startup costs are $10 per user for setup fee and $50 for the Internet software.Telecommunications costs are $4.80 per hour. Annual telephone support costs $120. Thecosts below are based on use of BadgerDial.

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Costs for use of the Internet will vary widely depending on the type of access availableand, in the case of dial up users, the amount of searching conducted. Searching levels werebased on the small, medium, and large volume users.

Small volume usersLibrary staff conducting less than 10 searches per day would potentially search between

30-60 minutes per day. Telecommunications costs would average between $600-$1,200 peryear.

Medium volume usersLibrary staff conducting between 11-100 searches per day (average 2-3 hours per day)

would pay between $2,400-$3,600 in telecommunications costs.

Large volume usersLibrary staff conducting more than 100 searches per day (average 5-7.5 hours per day)

would pay between $6,000-$9,000 in telecommunications costs per year. It would not be costeffective for libraries to use BadgerDial for this level of searching, and these libraries shouldexplore a direct connection to the Internet.

Local automated library systemsShared automated circulation systems (those including the records of more than one

library) allow library staff or patrons to search the database, determine if an item is ownedby one or more of the libraries taking part in the system, determine if the item is available,and place a hold or reserve on the item. Many of the tasks associated with interlibrary loanare therefore handled as a part of the local system operation. South Central Library Systemhas tracked costs associated with installing and operating a shared library system.

South Central Library System estimates that the initial start up costs vary from justunder $20,000 for a library in a community with less than 2,000 population toapproximately $50,000 for a community with a population of 10-12,000 people. The annualcost of operating the automated system is approximately $561,592 with libraries payingfrom $7,941 per year for the smallest user to $335,166 per year for the largest user. The costof placing an interlibrary loan transaction on the system is $.11 and of retrieving the itemfrom the shelves is estimated at $.25 per transaction for a total of $.36 per request.

Problems1. Libraries are operated by many different government jurisdictions or private

organizations. Therefore, their underlying funding sources are very different and notnecessarily equitable. Some libraries can afford to develop local collections at a muchhigher level than others and some can afford to pay fees while others cannot.

2. The structure requires some libraries to pay fees directly, while others do not.3. The hierarchical structure costs less than direct service between libraries, but it takes a

longer time to process requests.4. Funding sources from the state level are decreasing and it may not be possible to support

the entire cost of current services. Decisions need to be made concerning which parts tosupport.

5. Electronic access may well provide better services and in some cases more cost-effectiveservices, but there are often large one time costs to implement them. Electronic accessdoesn't necessarily reduce ongoing costs, although it broadens capabilities of library staffto provide services.

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Subissues

Issue 5aWhat agencies should be compensated and for what costs?

Issue 5bHow can the costs of interlibrary loan and reference referral be best determined?

Issue 5cHow can interlibrary loan be made more cost effective?

Issue 5dHow will electronic access impact costs and how should it be paid for?

RecommendationsA. Consideration for compensation for interlibrary loan services should be made as follows:

1. Providers of unique materials and services should be compensated for loan of theirmaterials.

2. Libraries engaging in reciprocal borrowing/lending should not expect to becompensated except when net lending is extensive and chronic over a period of time.

3. Compensation may not always be monetary. Services as well as payment may beconsidered compensation.

4. Compensation should cover costs for staff, materials and overhead. Overhead costsmay include in-house supplies, postage, telephone bills, delivery andtelecommunications charges.

5. The Division for Libraries and Community Learning should explore the cost ofsupplying electronic information to libraries and develop a model for paying for orsharing this cost.

B. The method used to determine interlibrary loan and reference referral costs should bebased in part on the reasons for needing to determine the costs. The following reasonscould guide the determination of costs.1. To increase public awareness about the costs associated with interlibrary loan service.2. To decide whether it is more cost-effective to buy an item or to borrow it.3. To determine the best method for borrowing an item.4. To establish budgets.5. To establish appropriate roles and amounts for reimbursement.

C. Interlibrary loan can be made more cost effective under the following circumstances.1. The level of staff assigned interlibrary loan duties is carefully evaluated, and

assignments are made to staff with the lowest level of skill needed.2. Creation of requests by users without staff mediation is encouraged.3. Local resources are used before materials are borrowed through interlibrary loan.4. Public awareness of costs is increased to encourage appropriate use of interlibrary

loan services.5. Work routines are streamlined, record keeping reduced, and the need for all statistics

reassessed periodically.

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